Personal ornament with mounting and indexing means for centering varied numbers of jewel settings



Dec. 16. 1969 a. STENZLER 3,433,713

PERSONAL ORNAMENT WITH MOUNTING AND INDEXING MEANS FOR C NTBRING VARIED NUHBBRS 0F JEWEL SETTINGS mm April 3, 196? l INVENTOR.

05/2940 are/V215? nited States Patent 0 3,483,716 PERSONAL ORNAMENT WITH MOUNTING AND INDEXING MEANS FOR CENTERING VARIED NUMBERS 0F JEWEL SETTINGS Gerald Stenzler, 2001 University Ave., Bronx, N.Y. 10453 Filed Apr. 3, 1967, Ser. No. 628,059 Int. Cl. A44c 9/00 US. Cl. 6315 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A personal ornament adapted to removably mount a single jewel setting in a centralized position and for receiving additional jewel settings side by side in a single row. Indexing means is provided and means are provided for shifting the settings whenever a setting is added so that odd and even numbers of settings will have the same center.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to finger rings providing for readily removable, addable and relocatable jewel settings.

Description of the prior art A mothers ring concept involves the use of a finger ring or band on which is mounted a birthstone representing each child of a mother. Such ring requires means for readily attaching a first setting to the band on which is mounted a birthstone representing each child of a mother. Such ring requires means for readily attaching a first setting to the band in a centralized position and means for adding in sequence settings representing subsequent children. A need has been found for a ring construction having not only readily removable and addable settings, but also relocatable jewel settings, since each addition of a setting results in a change from an odd to an even, or from an even to an odd number of settings necessitating shifting of the prior mounted settings in order to preserve the desired symmetry of all the settings on the band.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Among the objects of the invention is to provide a ring construction having addable and relocatable jewel settings to meet the need as hereinbefore stated. The ring construction shall include a finger encircling band having a jewel mounting portion for centralizing on the finger in an upfacing position, the mounting portion being adapted to removably carry in a single row a plurality of jewel settings, all of similar size and configuration, each having a threaded base for receiving a screw mounting means extending radially outwardly through the mounting portion. The latter shall provide indexing means for centralizing both odd and even numbered groups of settings, the indexing and screw mounting means enabling a jeweler with the aid of only relatively simple tools to rapidly and with minimum efiort add a setting to an existing group and also shift the new group to a centralized position on the mounting portion. The indexing and screw mounting means shall be concealed when the ring is worn and the ring construction embodying such means shall have a quality appearance suitable for use on popular priced jewelry mounting precious or semi-precious stones and shall be comfortable on the finger. The improved ring construction enables the jeweler to satisfy a wide range of customer requirements with respect to number, type and arrangement of jewel settings with a minimum of inventory.

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a finger ring constructed to embody the invention showing the three jewel settings mounted on the band.

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the band shown in FIG. 1 prior to the punching of holes in accordance with the invention for mounting the jewel settings.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the band shown in FIG. 2 showing the interior surface of the jewel mounting panel bearing indices in the form of spaced depres sions for engaging the centering point of a hole punching tool.

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of the band shown in FIG. 2 but with five holes punched therein, one of the settings and screw being shown exploded.

FIG. 5 is a transverse section of the band taken on line 55 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but with a jewel setting mounted on the band.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section taken through the region of the three jewel settings in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 8 and 9 are side and rear perspective views, respectively, of a modified form of invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring in detail to the drawings, 20 denotes a finger ring constructed to embody the invention comprising a circular band 21, sized to fit a finger of a wearer and tapering in width from a relatively wider normally visible jewel mounting section 21a to a relatively narrower normally concealed section 2112, and one or a plurality of identically sized and shaped jewel settings 22, each removably mounted on section 21a by a screw 23 extending radially outwardly through an opening in section 21a and threaded into the base 22a of setting 22.

Band 21, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, may have section 21a formed with a thickened decorative upper and lower edge border 21c defining a central recessed panel 21d. The interior side of panel 21d may have a pair of spaced longitudinal strengthening ribs 21e between which indices, hereinafter more fully described, for centralizing settings 22 are provided.

Each setting 22 may be of any conventional construction for mounting a jewel 24, which may be any one of a wide variety of precious, semi-precious or synthetic stones, such as, the various birthstones. The base 22a of each setting 22 may have its surface curved with respect to a transverse axis with a radius of curvature equal to that of a minimum size band 21 on which it is intended to be mounted so that when used on a band 21 of larger radius, base 22a will make contact with panel 21d along the two opposite straight transverse edges 22b and will curve slightly away from panel 21d in the base area therebetween. As seen in FIGS. 4 and 7, the free end of screw 23 opposite its head may be formed with an axial recess to insure clearance of the culet of the jewel 24 when the screw is tightened in mounting setting 22.

In order to facilitate the assembly of ring 20 by the local jeweler and permit the centralizing of a row of either odd or even numbers of settings 22 in edge-toedge abutment on panel 21d, it is intended that the jeweler be supplied with a hand operated punch (not shown) of conventional construction in which the male member has a protruding center point.

As will be clear from FIG. 3, the indices for effecting the centralized mounting of settings 22 are in the form of a row of depressions in the rear surface of panel 21d, herein shown as an odd number of depressions D through D inclusive, depression D being centralized with respect to panel 21d so that depressions D through D and D through D are symmetrically arranged on opposite sides thereof. Depressions D through D have centers equally spaced from each other a predetermined distance S, which is a function of the width of each setting, to ensure the aforementioned edge-to-edge abutment of the settings when such settings are mounted in alternate openings punched through alternate depressions, as hereinafter described.

Spaced longitudinal ribs 210, as seen in FIG. 6, project rearwardly beyond the heads of screws 23 providing smooth entry over the knuckle and protecting the skin from irritation.

The utility of the invention will now be apparent. Any local jeweler, having a supply of unperforated bands 21, jewel settings 22, screws 23 and a suitable hand operated punch equipped with dies for making proper size openings to receive screws 23, may prepare and assemble ring 20 in accordance with a wide variety of customer requirements. Band 21 is prepared for mounting a single setting 22 by punching a centralized opening to receive screw 23 through panel 21d utilizing depression D as a centering guide for the protruding center point of the male die member. Jewel setting 22 is then aligned with the opening, oriented with respect to the transverse edges 22b, which orientation is aided by the curvature of the bottom surface of base 220, and secured to panel 21d by screw 23. Prior to threading into base 22a, the threads of screw 23 may be coated with a suitable screw locking preparation for preventing accidental loosening but permitting removal when desired for repositioning setting 22 in a new grouping.

The mounting of a triple setting shown in FIG. 1 may be accomplished directly by initially punching openings at D D and D and mounting a setting 22 in each of the three openings in the manner described above. Or, the triple setting mounting may be the result of additions and repositionings of settings 22 in accordance with the invention. Thus, the single mounting is readily changed to a double mounting by first removing setting 22, then punching openings at depressions D and D which will overlap the existing center opening at D, as is apparent from FIGS. 4 and 7, and mounting a setting 22 in each of the D and D openings. The latter will properly centralize the double setting in edgeto-edge abutment on panel 21d and conceal the D opening. For conversion thereafter to a triple setting mounting, the double setting is removed, two additional openings punched at depressions D and D and a setting mounted in each of the openings at D D and D Thereafter, additional settings 22 may be added in a similar manner, repositioning settings 22 with each change from odd to even and from even to odd numbers of settings. It will thus be clear that four settings will utilize openings at depressions D D D and D five settings at depressions D D D D and D six settings at depressions D D D D D and D and seven settings at depressions D D D D D D and D Panel 21d may be pre-punched with openings at D, through D inclusive, to obviate the punching of openings as subsequent additions of settings 22 are made. This results in a serrated slot longer than that shown in FIG. 4, which may be visible to varying degrees degigding upon the number of mounted settings on panel Where the non-concealment of a mounting slot is not objectionable, such slot may be modified as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 as slot 31f formed in panel 31d of band 31. Slot 31 has smooth opposite outer edges spaced for receiving therebetween the threaded stud portion of screw 23 and having serrations 31g cut back from the smooth edges on the rear surface of panel 31d to provide indexing means in the form of seats for the heads of screws 32. Band 31 may otherwise be similar to band 21, having a jewel mounting section 31a, tapering into a nar- 4 rower section 31b, a thickened edge border 31c for panel31d and spaced ribs 31e.

Jewel settings 32 of modified construction may be utilized on band 31 to facilitate orientation with respect to panel 31d. Jewel setting 32 has a boss 32a formed to project from the rear of setting 32 into slot 31 The seats formed between serrations 31g have centers spaced a distance equal to one half the length of jewel settings 32 so as to function in a manner similar to that hereinbefore described in respect to the openings punched or provided in panel 21d.

The improved finger ring constructions herein disclosed are seen to achieve the several objects of the invention and to be well adapted to meet conditions of practical use. As various possible embodiments might be made of this invention, and as various changes might be made in the disclosed constructions, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A finger ring combination adapted for jewel setting additions comprising a finger encircling band having a jewel setting mounting panel having opposite ends, a lurality of jewel settings, each formed with a fastener engaging means, a fastener for releasably engaging each of said jewel settings for mounting on said panel, means formed on a surface of said panel for aiding in locating at least three of said settings on said panel longitudinally thereof, said means including a series of index depressions adapted to have holes punched therethrough for receiving said fasteners, each depression being uniformly spaced with respect to adjacent depressions to locate at least two settings in predetermined relation to each other, said locating means, fasteners and jewel settings being constructed and arranged, after placement of some of said settings in one series of locations, for removal and replacement by a different number of said settings in an alternate series of locations on said panel, said alternate series having, with respect to said panel, the same longitudinal center as said one series.

2. The finger ring combination defined in claim 8 in which each of said jewel settings has a base of predetermined width defined by sides terminating in bottom edges, said depressions being spaced apart a distance to ensure edge-to-edge abutment of adjoining bottom edges of adjacent settings when located at alternate depressions.

3. The finger ring combination defined in claim 1, in which each of said jewel settings has a base of predetermined length, said fastener engaging means being an internally threaded opening in said base, each of said fasteners being a screw for engaging the threaded opening.

4. The fingering combination defined in claim 3 in which said panel is formed with a longitudinal slot for receiving a plurality of said screws therethrough, said indices being serrations cut back from opposite sides of said slot on the rear surface of said panel forming seats for receiving therein heads of said screws for said jewel setting centralized location.

5. The finger ring combination defined in claim 3 in which each of said screws has an end formed with an axial recess, said jewel settings each having a jewel formed with a culet projecting into said axial recess.

6. The finger ring combination defined in claim 1 in which a pair of spaced longitudinal ribs are formed on the rear side of said mounting panel between which said fasteners are located, said ribs projecting rearwardly beyond the fasteners.

7. An ornamental object to be worn by an individual and adapted for jewel setting additions, comprising means on said object for securing it on the person of a wearer, a surface exposed for viewing and including a jewel setting mounting panel having opposite ends, a plurality of jewel settings each formed with a fastener engaging means, a fastener for releasably engaging each of said jewel settings for mounting on said panel, means formed on a surface of said panel for aiding in locating at least three of said settings on said panel longitudinally thereof, said means including a series of index depressions adapted to have holes punched therethrough for receiving said fasteners, each depression being uniformly spaced with respect to adjacent depressions to locate at least two settings in predetermined relation to each other, said locating means, fasteners and jewel settings being constructed and arranged, after placement of some of said settings in one series of locations, for removal and replacement by a different number of said settings in an alternate series of locations on said panel, said alternate series having, with respect to said panel, the same longitudinal center as said one series.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,573,899 2/1926 Armstrong 6329 2,067,526 1/1937 Graham 40143 X 3,071,940 1/1963 Schneider 6328 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,279,328 11/1961 France. 1,406,570 6/ 1965 France.

138,742 2/1920 Great Britain.

F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner US Cl. X.R. 40142; 6328, 29 

